Collapsible paste tube or the like



. 28, 1954 K. K. LACHER 2,698,115

COLLAPSIBLE PASTE TUBE OR THE LIKE Filed March 31, 1950 /6 Z9 M '20 g 30v" V a2 a? 37 INVENTOR.

Jr/ Lacie)" 2;69s',"1'1s coLLAPs'IBLE PASTE TUBEfiRdIIEILIKE Karl K.Lacher, Milwaukeflwisi, assignorofbne-half to N Paley- 'Phillips,=Mil'walikee, Wis. Application'March 31,1950, Serial No. 153,029 4Caims. cl."z*'2z-"-499 This invention relates-"to collapsiblepaste-dispensing tubes, or the likej'a'ndfmore particularly,tqan-imprbved "closure? therefor, through which thepaste" may be l a d MIt ls common-practiceto package' creams 'such as cos- "metics and pastessuch as tooth paste;-"or the like, in

collapsible lead tubes, the'tubes being sealedclosed'at one'end andbeing provided Withflll exteriorlythreaded "opening-at the opposite'end.'The threads' accommodate a cap, which, when inp'lace preventsthe'pasteor cream from escaping from the tube andalso prevents drying of thecontents. I I d I Such tubes, with the screw caps, require the complete'removalof the cap-in order to remove'the pasteor cream from the tube,then 'the springjwould be strongenough to require excessive pressure onthe tube before allowing the valve to open. This conditionjresultedeither'in burst tubesor the use'of a tub'e'made'ofexcessively heavystock, thus increasing the overall cost'of' the tube, adding to shippingcosts, etc.

Such spring loaded dispensing tubes had a further disadvantage in thatthey permitted pressure on the tube to force the paste out through thevalve under all conditions. That is, if the tube were packed in a suitcase and the case closed exerting pressure on the tube, the paste orcream would be ejected over the contents of the case. There was nopositive means such as a screw cap in such a tube to prevent suchaccidental ejection of the cream or paste.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a closure for acollapsible paste tube, or the like, which may be more convenientlyclosed and opened.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure for acollapsible paste tube, or the like, which will prevent the ejection ofthe paste except when the closure is moved to open position.

Another object is to provide a 'collapsible paste tube with a manuallyoperated closure which will be more readily operated than those now inuse.

A further object is to provide a non-removable closure for collapsiblepaste tubes, or the like, which will have a snap action between open andclosed positions.

A further object is to provide a closure member for collapsible pastetubes, or the like, which will be economical to manufacture and simpleto use.

A further object is to provide an improved closure member forcollapsible paste tubes, or the like, in which the danger of mislayingor losing the closure member is eliminated.

A further object is to provide an improved closure member forcollapsible paste tubes which will maintain the contents of the tubefresh and pliable.

Still further objects will become apparent upon considering thefollowing specification, which, when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, illustrates a preferred form of the invention.

United States Pateit a surface of the top, the

2,698,1 15 Patented Dec. 28,1954

is made roughly-cylindrical in cross-'section'and hasthin Walls 11 ofa-ductile material such as lead ortin'or a mixture of the'two. A conicalhead 14 is-provided'for the "tube which'head 14m'ay be of somewhatheavier material thanthe body of the walls 11 in order'that it hold itsshape and support aeehtraIly located stub tube 15. 15 p The stub tube15ispartiallyclosedby a'partition' 'l6 formed across the top or the stubtube 15"with-a 'pl urality of-symmetrically 'po'sitioned'apertures 18;through the partition to provide for the egress of the parts'or creammaterial-from the interior of the tube' 10 through the stub'tube 15 andout the apertures 18. I

A closure or bonnet, generally designated '20, is provided toshut offthesupply of paste when closed.

The closure or bonnet 20 may comprise a frustroconical top 22 whichconforms in shape to the'partition 16 and is adapted to fit over thepartition when the bonnet isin closed position, as seen in solid linesin Fig. l. "The top 22 has a horizontal ring 24 formed integrally'on theupper end of the frustro-conical' section, which ring-24has 'an openingfitting over a circular projection 25 on'the partition 16. H d

.A 'lurality of projections 27' are formed on {the inner v projectionsbeing identical inshape andspacingfto theiapertures 18 through thepartition, so

that inthe closed positionthe projections 27 fit snugly withinthejape'rtures ls -ar'id prevent passage ofthepaste from the tube.Being" that the projections-27 *fill" the apertures 18 thepastein"the'tube 11 is prevented from 'actingdirectly on the'cap22 when the capisclosed, but must, 1nst ead, act only on the bottomof'the projections.

Thus, due'to the small cross sectionalareas of the projections 27 thereis' little pressure tendingto' lift the "cap" 20 11 he e t t t the i anysmall pressure thus developed is readily compensated for by spring 35.

tube 11 is inadvertently squeezed and The outer edge dfthe metro-conicaltop 22 isprovided with a vertical cylindrical guide 28 which slides overthe outer surface of the stub tube and guides the projections 27 intothe apertures 18.

The lower end of the guide 28 has a flared skirt 30 formed thereon theedge of which may be any convenient configuration. The outer edge 32 ofthe skirt 30 lies between the lower edge of the guide 37 and the top ofthe conical head 14 and forms a finger grip to raise the bonnet 20.

A diaphragm 35 of brass, steel or other metal of high resilience isimbedded in the tube. If desired the diaphragm may be made of a plastichaving the required characteristics. The outer periphery of thediaphragm 35 corresponds to that of the skirt 30 and is held in contactwith the skirt 30 by an inturned flange 37 on the skirt.

In practice the skirt is slightly larger in diameter than the peripheryof the skirt so that the diaphragm snaps the bonnet into both open andclosed position.

Operation The bonnet 20 is normally in closed position, as seen in solidlines in Fig. 1, with the frustro-conical top 22 in contact with the topof the partition 16 and the projections 27 in the apertures 18. In thisposition the diaphragm 35 is held flexed downwardly by the outer edge 32of the skirt 30.

When it is desired to use the paste in the tube 10 a finger may beinserted under the outer edge 32 of the skirt 30 urging the bonnet 20into its upper position as seen in broken lines in Fig. l. The upwardmovement of the bonnet 20 is accomplished by moving the diaphragm 35upwardly which causes the diaphragm 35 to flex from a down-turnedposition to an upturned position, the movement being a snap action whichmoves the entire bonnet to its upper or open position.

In its upper or open position the projections 27 are "withdrawn from theapertures 18 in the partition 16 and upon pressure on the tube the pasteor cream in the tube 10 flows out through the apertures 18 and throughthe central aperture 39 in the bonnet to the point of use.

When suflicient paste or cream has been ejected the skirt 30 may bepressed downward causing the diaphragm to snap from the upturned to thedownturned position and forcing the cream or paste from between thebonnet 20 and the partition 16 out through the aperture 39 where it maybe wiped off in any convenient manner.

While the invention has been described as applicable to collapsiblepaste tubes holding such substances as cosmetic or shaving creams, toothpaste, library paste etc., it will be apparent that the same sort ofclosure can be used on a rigid container such as a bottle to dispenseliquids such as lotions or toilet water.

It will be apparent further that the bonnet, due to the double springaction of the diaphragm 35 will remain closed against all ordinarypressure on the tube 10, and thus insures against accidental ejection ofpaste.

The hereinbefore described form of the invention is to be taken merelyas a preferred embodiment thereof and various changes in size, shape andarrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

That which is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by UnitedStates Letters Patent is:

1. In a collapsible paste dispensing tube, or the like, a stub tube anda closure member comprising, a partition across one end of said stubtube having a plurality of apertures therein for the passage of paste, abonnet fitting over said stub tube and said partition having a centralopening therethrough, said bonnet having a relatively large area incontact with said partition, a plurality of projections arranged aboutthe periphery of the opening on the inside of said bonnet, saidprojections fitting into said apertures when the bonnet is in closedposition to fill completely all the apertures in said partition andpresent a relatively small area to pressure from within the tube, saidprojections lying outside said apertures when the bonnet is in openposition, and means to limit the movement of the bonnet.

2. In a collapsible paste dispensing tube, or the like, a stub tube anda closure member comprising, a partition across one end of the stub tubehaving a plurality of apertures therein for the passage of paste, abonnet fitting over said stub tube and said partition having a centralopening therethrough, said bonnet having a relatively large area incontact with said partition, a plurality of projections arrangedv aboutthe periphery of said opening on the inside of said bonnet, saidprojections fitting into all apertures when said bonnet is in closedposition to completely fill the same and present a relatively small areato pressure from within said tube, said projections lying outside ofsaid apertures when the bonnet is in open position and means including asnap action to move the bonnet from fully closed to fully openpositions.

3. A device as recited in claim 2 in which the last named means includesa flared skirt formed on said bonnet, a diaphragm embedded in theexterior of the stub tube and projecting outwardly therefrom, and meanson said skirt to retain the outer edge of the diaphragm, said diaphragmbeing adapted to move the bonnet between open and closed positions witha snap action.

4. In a collapsible paste dispensing tube, or the like, a stub tube anda closure member comprising a partition, across one end of said stubtube, having a plurality of apertures therethrough for the passage ofthe paste, an upwardly extending plug on the upper side of saidpartition, a bonnet fitting over said stub tube and said partition saidbonnet having a central opening therethrough fitting over said plug whenthe bonnet is in closed position, said bonnet having a relatively largearea in contact with said partition, a plurality of projections on theinside of said bonnet, said projections being arranged about theperiphery of said opening and fitting into said apertures when thebonnet is in closed position to completely fill all the apertures topresent a relatively small area to fluid pressure from the paste, saidprojections lying outside said apertures when the bonnet is in openposition to permit passage of paste through the apertures, a flaredskirt on said bonnet, a diaphragm embedded in the exterior of the stubtube and projecting outwardly therefrom, and means on said skirt toretain the outer edge of said diaphragm, said diaphragm being adapted tomove said bonnet between open and closed positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date Re. 18,694 Kalb Nov. 8, 1932 1,057,538 Gammeter Apr. 1, 19131,940,706 Aufricht Dec. 26, 1933 1,958,414 Bogeaus May 15, 19341,977,537 Warmuth Oct. 16, 1934 2,483,148 Nicolle Sept. 27, 1949

